Broken Vision

We have suspected for some time now that our 4 year old son may be dealing with some of the poor vision issues his 10 year old brother faces.  (Conversion Insufficiency – true double vision caused by his eyes working completely independent of each other, dyslexia, etc.)  We are seeing in him the same symptoms which we explained away in his brother, i.e. no writing or coloring at age 4, extreme fear of heights, fear of animals, constant touching of things as he walks past them (to figure out where they really are), etc.  They are so easy to explain as boyhood or immaturity, but we are so familiar with them and the direction they have taken us before now.

Doctors will tell you that there is know known cause for these issues, but I think we have found a circumstantial genetic link to my own grandfather.  My mother’s father was asked to leave school in the second grade because he was “incapable of being taught to read.”  He was functionally illiterate for most of his life, reading very slowly and having paperwork filled out for him by coworkers.  According to my mother, he would often close one eye when he was reading because that one was “tired.”  This sounds so like my boy (boys?).

I want more for them than this.  I want more than a physically demanding menial job for the rest of their lives.  I want them to be able to participate in and SEE the world around them.  While I am grateful for the knowledge I have gained, the insight I have gathered…..I would rather not ever have to use it again….but it seems that I will.

I keep wondering if it is coincidental that my two blue-eyed children are the boys with vision issues.  Is it somehow linked on to that recessive gene?  I don’t know, but I do know that I hope the new baby has brown eyes like her perfect-seeing siblings.  Her hair can be any color, but can her eyes be brown?

And I’m on the lookout for a cool picture of St Lucy.  She’s about to become my new best friend, ready or not.  We need help with my sons and their beautiful blue eyes.  If only eyes that lovely could see….